Title: NEMATIC-ISOTROPIC TRANSITION IN A WEAKLY DILUTED LATTICE MODEL: MONTE CARLO STUDY
Authors: Ja.M.Ilnytskyi (Institute for Condensed Matter Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 1 Svientsitskii Str., 290011 Lviv, Ukraine)

We consider a weakly diluted lattice model of elongated particles undergoing a first order nematic-isotropic transition in a pure bulk case. The lattice of 20$^3$ sites with a 5\% dilution is studied by Monte Carlo simulation and by applying the Ferrenberg-Swendsen histogram technique. The shift of the transition temperature and the decrease of the latent heat and the order parameter due to dilution are calculated. The heat capacity and the susceptibility peaks are essentially suppressed as compared to a pure case. The comparison to the experiments on liquid crystals confined in silica aerogels and porous glasses is done.

Comments: Figs. 2, Refs. 31, Tabs. 0.